Take a Chance
by reveileb maerdyad
Summary: my take on how my favorite mono-syllabic female and sassy, blond knight met long before the whole ff8 ordeal. a blind leap of faith.


_Whee! My first one-shot with some actual plot. (Note: 'some') While I'm on the subject of 'firsts', my first work with a real summary since I joined this site. Hardly any mush, too. How 'bout that? Hmmm. How utterly historical. Uh... ^_^_

_Anyway, enjoy. This is the fruit of a day's indulgence with trail mix. Yum! Fujin's POV, everyone. Humor me, and be gentle._

**Disclaimer:** If FF8 were mine, Ultimecia would have won the antiklimaktik final battle and time should have been kompressed. SEEDs (those filthy lokusts) would be nothing more than a distant memory in the minds of all those Winhill old-timers, khaos and terror would reign for a thousand years, until there would kome a dashing young sorcerer and his winning, prone-to-swooning valkyrie who would save the day for everyone. Of kourse, by that time, it wouldn't matter so much that time had been kompressed, so the sorcerer and his sidekick would want to settle for something less stressful, like… world peace. *insert evil cackling, minus the inevitable coughing fit*

Woe and alas, Squaresoft ruins my krispy, krunchy, fantabulous plot by owning all rights to the game. Kurses, kurses! *grumble, grumble*

**Take a Chance **

_**Shoot for the moon**_

_**Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars.**_

_**- Les Brown**_

In the distance, the faded cries of some unknown creature reaches my ears, lifting me from the dreary fogs of sleep. _What time is it?_ My eyes are closed and I do not know how long I have been here, cooped up in my own secret place. Crying my heart out… _perhaps I had cried myself to sleep…?_ I try to turn to my side and almost immediately, pain shoots through the arm I had been using as my pillow, making me wince. I force myself to relax. Deep, calming breaths. _Just take it slow. _

Squinting, I make out a roof of moss green, a seemingly never-ending line of red dots moving so consistently along the green, more darkness. Careful for any sudden flashes of light, I open my eyes slowly and blink a few times, adjusting myself to this surreal sensation of being awake, to the groggy feeling and overwhelming wish to go back to sleep. My lids weigh heavy with this day's events, and I struggle to keep them from closing on me again. 

And nothing. Blank, boring, everyday darkness envelops me, making me feel as if I do not really exist, as if I am a silent witness, very like the wind – just a part of this burrow I am in. How many times have I felt this way? Stifling a groan, I shake my head – there is no use drowning in self-pity again. I have no more tears to shed!

Making my way out is harder than I expected: crouching like an overweight insect under labor pain is not an easy feat, after all. A sudden hysterical giggle unwittingly escapes from my lips at the absurd, mental comparison that my shoulders lurch with crazy glee. "Oh, Hyne," I whisper, as a wave of dizziness comes over me and I sway slightly; I reach out and hold on to the tree next to me for support. _What am I doing?_ I think shakily. Smothering the giggles as best I can, I lean on the tree and wait until my giggles subside to chuckles, while I am left breathless with my unforeseen lack of control. _Have I lost my mind? Is this all too much for me?_ A shudder passes through me, and I momentarily close my eyes. _Focus._

This time, I open my eyes with the critical gaze of my normal self, the crazy self now buried beneath varying folds of consciousness. Time to move on. _How long _have_ I been here?_ Glancing around, I take in my surroundings and see that it is late afternoon. 

Late afternoon. So I have actually stayed here for some three to four hours? _That was a long time, Fu,_ I berate myself. _Who knows what could have happened to Raijin all alone?_ At this, wretched panic makes my chest constrict, concern and worry not to be deterred in the least. I loathe these feelings, this utter helplessness that overtakes me, when I know very well that I cannot make things better. Only make them worse, if that is possible. 

Raijin, I must get back to my brother… 

Memories take their hold on me, overriding any objection I could have raised. Raijin being mocked. Being looked upon by our Instructors with that mixture of pity and sympathy that I find infuriating. _Perhaps they think it gives them a shortcut to respect? Not for the first time, I reflect that it is the same way they look at me, but I do not feel comforted. What I feel is rage boiling in my veins until there is nothing I want more than to beat them up and make them feel my pain. I am no fool – deep beneath their worried stares and soothing tones, I know they are disgusted, although they perceive themselves to be such fine actors that they could dupe a mere child into believing that they actually care. As if they could care for a pair of orphans when so many already flock their Garden. _

They think I do not know but I _do,_ so much that I see clearly through their facades, the muffled whispers and the superior airs. Hyne knows how I often wish I were not this perceptive! That maybe if I had only been born gullible enough to believe in this entire pretense, then I will not be feeling quite so angry. So suspicious all the time. I, an eleven-year old girl, know better than them. I cannot help it; I smirk at the thought as I make my way out of Balamb's woods. 

Absently, I attack overgrown foliage and tread over sticking, haphazard stumps as I mentally shrug, and delve more into this self-exploration that has become a desperate habit as of late. Bitterness… I do not want to feel bitter, but what else am I to feel? I _need_ to be bitter; I need this bitterness to fan the flame of anger and keep it burning bright, at least bright enough to make me remember why I fight. 

_ Stop it. Do not even go think about that. Raijin. I have to be strong for him. _ I smile sadly. Wariness is a poor companion for a girl - a young one at that. It is not easy, but I would rather be wary than vulnerable. 

With an effort, I draw myself out of my thoughts and study where my progress has led me. The sun is burning bright in the horizon, yet I feel that it will be not be long when the time comes for it to set. I must hurry, then. Night would mean more dangerous monsters lurking about, and though I can easily make puddings out of bite bugs or caterchipillars, I am still inadequate for the occasional T-Rexaur. Another kilometer or so and I will safely be back at Garden. _Safely? Ha._ I urge my legs to go faster, thanking Hyne that no monster has yet impeded my hasty journey. 

Reaching a familiar fork on the road, I stop and take a moment to debate on which path to choose. Left would give me a scenic stroll along the woods, albeit a very long one. On the other hand, it is much safer compared to the alternative. With some vexation, I throw a glance at the right and know that if I choose this one, the time it will take to reach Garden would be cut in half. _I may possibly even arrive in time for the junior cadets' dinner,_ I muse wistfully, now critically aware of the hunger pangs that have been staging a mini revolt in my stomach since my time in the burrow_._ Unfortunately, it is also common knowledge that this path is more a breeding ground for monsters than the former, seeing as monsters would probably wither and die amid scenic grounds and would rather skulk in deep, dark places – which is what the right path is, and more. Instinctively, my hand clenches into a fist, making the pinwheel strapped to my arm vibrate with the small movement. Well, it is now or never. A few hunger pangs are not really worth meeting one's doom so early, right? Right. Of course. So, squaring my shoulders, I resolutely turn my back on the left path with the determination that is so much a part of me and head for the right's eerie beyond – only to bump into an unseen body that groans loudly as we collide. 

"Oof!" I exclaim, my words muffled as I attempt to get my bearings back. The collision, along with the lightheadedness I have been feeling since I woke up, are enough to make me sit on the road for a while. I do just that as I let the last of the shock waves pass away, while I mull over the fact that I have not even gone deep enough into the path and already, something has gone wrong. I wonder how many other misfortunes I have to come across before I get this day over with? 

A morose sigh from somewhere above brings me back to the present, and I feel a twinge of shame because I have momentarily forgotten that other someone I had so carelessly bumped into. _Carelessly bumped into?_ I think with a surge of annoyance. It could also very well be that the person carelessly bumped into _me._

"Next time, why don't you look where you're going?" 

I stiffen at the question, much more at the arrogant tone it was placed. In my current position, all I can see is a pair of shiny, booted feet planted firmly on the ground. Letting my gaze travel up and up, I meet clear green eyes looking curiously down into my amber ones. For a moment, I forget everything else and proceed to study this other person. I am sure I have never seen him before, or I will have remembered meeting him. His type is not easy to forget. Oh, his features are pleasant enough, blond hair and green eyes – eyes that I find to be very interesting despite myself, if not for that gleam that warns me to be on my guard. Those wily cat's eyes seem to be entirely too piercing for their own good. He is about my age, and… tall. I recall bumping into what felt like a wall; I wonder if it had been his chest I had bumped into? _Strange,_ I consider, as I take in the lean yet muscled arms, the self-satisfied hint of a smirk. There is a strength in him that belies his outward appearance. But other than all that, it is his bearing that makes him so unusual, so… distinct, not easy to forget. He stands as if he is a general – a _knight_ would be more appropriate. The thought of him being a knight makes me smile rather impishly. I have never even _seen_ a real knight, only heard of them from whispered tales that talk of wars so long ago. And yet… something clicks in my mind, and all of a sudden, I know. _Ah_. Not arrogance as I originally thought, but pride. Easily bruised, long-suffering pride. I smile again. 

"Hyne, are you mute? A recluse? Have you never seen a real, live person before? Do you just like to smile a lot? I get it. A loony!" More incoherent grumbling follows this intrusion to my reverie. 

My cheeks burn and I immediately feel mortified by the telling action. I can hardly even recall the last time I blushed, and here I am blushing at the sight of someone whom I have only met minutes ago! Pushing myself to my feet, I brush my hands against my trousers, trying to keep this – this _red tomato_ of a face under control. While I do this, I am aware that he has not moved, that he is just staring at me without doing anything, something that would spare us both the awkwardness of the moment, like _go on his way_. _Hyne,_ s_ome things just cannot be helped,_ I think with resignation.

After making sure that my mask is secure, I frown up at him and let all my grave displeasure show. For some people, the sight of my frown is enough to make them scamper off without a backward glance, but it is different with this blond kid. He becomes a snotty aristocrat instead. He crosses his arms, raises a brow questioningly, taps his foot, and asks, "Well? What have you got to say for yourself? Assuming that you're no mute, that is." 

_ I should have known. _ I grit my teeth, forcing myself not to answer, although the urge to snap back at him is too strong. How dare he insinuate that it had all been my fault? _Do not take the bait, Fu,_ I tell myself, trying to placate the wrath of emotions his nonchalant posture brought out in me. _Calm down. You know how to deal with people like this_. Fine. So I cross my arms, I quirk my brow, I tap my foot, and I smirk at him. 

Seeing what I did, his brows draw together and he scowls. Ha! A stem of pleasure runs through me, and I off-handedly observe that his scowl is almost as intimidating as mine. Almost, but not quite. However, my little victory turns out to be short-lived since I notice that a smile he has trouble concealing is now tugging helplessly at his lips. I sigh inside. _Why did he have to be capable of seeing the humor in the situation?_ It would have been easier to win in this battle of wills if he has not turned out to be a little more harder to mock than most kids in the Garden. 

He must have seen my dejected expression because this time, he laughs out loud. A booming laugh, a very infectious sound, free. I begin to envy him his wild daring. "Disappointed, are you? I'm not quite the pompous monster you expected me to be."

I just stare back at him defiantly. No use telling him he is right. 

"I'm going back to the first assumption," he says briskly. "You're mute. No objections? Hmm, maybe you _are_ a loony." Obviously, he is trying to bait me again. Well, he can bait all he wants. Sidestepping, I wind around him and go on my way. 

"Wait, where'd you think you're going?" he demands of me, catching up and holding my arm to stop me. Shock courses through me at the touch of his hand, and I yank my arm back forcefully. Admittedly, I am not one much given to physical contact. '"You haven't even apologized yet!" 

"Do not touch me," I hiss at him. At that, he peers at me rather curiously (as if seeing something that he has only noticed now), and for so long, that I begin to wonder whether he really is there or if he is already daydreaming and has forgotten about me. _And he calls _me_ a loony? _His face clears just when I am about to snap at him, and he grins lazily. How I very much want to bury my fist in his nose and make him bleed! As if reading my mind, he holds up his hands in front of him in a gesture of silent surrender. "Alright, alright. You win, and I won't try to touch you again. I have every intention of keeping myself alive for several years more, okay?" 

That almost got a smile out of me. But of course, I can only nod curtly, lest he starts to think of me as _friendly._ "Very well, just stay out of my way." I continue to walk on as if nothing had happened. 

Ignoring my warning, he walks on beside me. Impertinent boy. So stubborn. "Where are you going, anyway?" he ventures to ask. I turn to glare at him and I notice that he walks with a swagger that I feel will, in all probability, attract rowdy fights like bees to honey. He also has with him a gunblade, and my interest is piqued. I have never seen a gunblade up close before, and he even looks as if he knows how to handle it. But with an attitude like his, one cannot help but _assume _he can do anything. 

I try to get a good look at it, all the while pretending that I was _not_ doing what I am actually doing. Maybe it is the unnatural angle of my neck, but he suddenly touches his gunblade and whips it cleanly out of sight. Disappointed, I look away and fix my sights straight ahead. _Who cares about a stupid gunblade, I would like to know? _Then I hear a soft, yet very distinct chuckling, no doubt coming from him. Curling my lip, I snidely answer. "Nowhere you know, boy." 

"Oh? Then I guess I'll just try my luck. You're either heading towards Balamb Garden or the Fire Cavern. Which is it? I'm opting for the Garden, if that counts for anything," he says, sounding amused and awfully pleased with himself. 

Sighing, I walk even faster. "I am going to the Fire Cavern," I lie, hoping he will turn tail and run. 

"I'll go with you, then. Who knows what'll happen to you at that hellish place?" 

Drat. So much for the fear factor. "I lied, I am going to Balamb Garden. Are you happy now?" 

His whole face lights up. "Good. I'm going there myself. Oh, and yeah, I'm definitely happy. Thanks." He does this thing to his left eye that, if I have the inclination to study and admire, may very well pass for a wink. "No use risking both our young lives in unnecessary danger, wouldn't you agree?" 

_ That was amazing, Fu. You actually made him happy. "No, I do _not_ agree. I do, however, see no problem in letting you go there." My glare shoots daggers at him. "Maybe you and that Fire GF can find something in common with each other, and end up being the best of friends." _Although that may already be too much to ask,_ I add silently, now aware that my crazy self has steadily surfaced since I met this boy. __He will probably start jumping for joy right now. _

He sighs theatrically. "Tell me, are you always this… angry?" 

_ No, not always, _ I almost tell him. It has been so long since someone has asked me that question. I nod brusquely, even haughtily, subtly daring him to defy. 

"Oh." He looks at me doubtfully. "I don't know how to tell you this without hurting your feelings, but… well, it ruins your complexion." 

The unmitigated audacity! I barely keep myself from stamping my feet like a spoiled child. Barely! "Do you never stop prattling?" I cry in exasperation, sure that smoke is even now coming out of my ears. "Do you find the utmost fulfillment in opening your mouth all the time? Is it your life-long dream to annoy all the people you _carelessly_ bump into so you can talk to them about…" I blindly grope for words, "… about complexions?!" 

His mouth hangs open at my outburst, and well he should be. I gulp in huge amounts of air as I narrow my eyes at him. If memory serves me right, that outburst is the lengthiest, if not the best, one I have ever done since coming to the Garden. Odd, but it feels good. His features arrange themselves into a wounded expression, but not before I catch a spark of mischief in those vivid, lynx eyes. "Of course not," he protests in a hurt tone. In my mind's eye, I can imagine him pouting like a little cherub, teary-eyed by being affronted for the first time, but managing to look so innocent all the same. _He is happy because he got a reaction out of me._ Why, the…! 

"I also find it very satisfying to teach them the proper ways of caring for one's face and physique. One can never be too thin or too fat, you know," he drawls, sounding very knowledgeable on this subject that I have no inkling on. He flashes me a wicked grin. "Plus, it's always nice and oh-so-fulfilling to see people's faces go all red whenever I broach this _delicate_ subject, like yours is doing now. Don't you think so?" He asks with sham innocence. 

I blink at him, feeling too incredulous to say anything. The blond hair and cherubic face, the glittering eyes and playful smile. Did he just find a way to turn the subject around? Oh Hyne, but he is irresistible. Already, I feel all the resentment thawing, feeling myself melt to his charm. _No, wait… _It is now only a matter of time… _Why did I have to meet him when I am not my usual self?!_

"My life-long dream is far from that. In fact, it's pretty… uh, romantic," he remarks casually, throwing me a hopeful glance, thinking that perhaps I may be curious enough to allow myself the conversation. 

And curious I am. Dreadfully, in fact. It is now over; I have already melted into a puddle. The crazy part of me has won. My shoulders droop a little as resignation sinks in, and yet – and yet, I feel as if a heavy weight has just been taken from them. Impertinent boy. Stubborn. Willful. Charming. Maybe it would not be so bad to have a friend… just one… 

Grudgingly, I give him a lopsided grin and ask in the most conversational style I can muster, "I give up. What romantic dream is that?" 

My question makes him smile widely. We are now, officially, friends. I wonder how long it will take me to regret that decision. Not long, I infer. "Promise you won't tell? It's" – The ground vibrates heavily and we are roughly thrown off-balance. Sparing a glance at my new friend, I see that we are thinking the same thing. 

_ T-Rexaur. _

The thought has barely registered in my mind before another, much stronger vibration shakes the both of us up. The creature gives out an ear-splitting screech that strikes fear and terror in my heart. A screech of death. Hyne! Scrambling hurriedly to my feet, I shout to my companion, not even bothering to look at his general direction. "Get up! We have to be ready, _now_!" – hoping against hope that he hears me. At this distance, I can make out the T-Rexaur's head, its frightful jaws agape and looming so dangerously atop the trees close to us. I stop and stare, briefly frozen to the spot, my mind thinking back on memories of such close encounters. There had been only a few times in the past that I had come this close to a T-Rexaur: once at the Training Center and the other while I was trying to get back to Garden from one of my trips to my burrow. That one time, I had been lucky enough because the T-Rexaur was merely sleeping and I was able to sneak by it quietly. Now, however, is a different matter. Not only is the T-Rexaur very much awake, but it has already seen us and, if I judge correctly, is more than happy to make us its dinner. _Not if I can help it,_ I think grimly, forcibly tearing my gaze away from the mesmerizing symbol of doom. 

My eyes sweeping over the spot where my friend has ended up, I find to my surprise that he is gone, seemingly out of thin air. _What happened? Where did he go?_ My heart drops to my stomach. _Did he leave me here all alone? _

The next instant, an arm shoots out, grabs me and pulls me rather violently behind a tree's sturdy trunk. I desperately try to get a look at my assailant's face and feel relief to see that is indeed my friend, his brows knit in concentration. So he has not abandoned me, after all. Not yet, anyway. 

"What are we doing? It has already seen us!" I demand of him in as low a voice as I can. "Although it cannot see us right now, I know it can smell us. The best thing to do now is risk our lives and fight." 

"Stay low," he warns me. I immediately comply and he looks at me earnestly, pins me with now inscrutable eyes. "Are you sure you want to do this? Are you willing to put your faith in me, and we fight this thing together?" By his tone, I can surmise that this is what he has been contemplating all along, but that he has held back because he wants to know my opinion on the matter. _He wants to know if I agree to fight with him, to stand by his side and die fighting, if it comes to that, _I realize with a start. 

Bloody Hyne, I am more than a little touched. Doubtless, if it had been only him, his pride - more than anything else, would require him to fight the monster and not give a thought to running away. But that he would want me to be safe… "I am sure," I confirm steadily. 

Something about my answer brightens him up, and his jaw sets firmly in a manner I cannot help but admire. In his eyes, I see blazing green fire and the calm strength that I have associated with him just moments ago.

"Thank you," he says quietly. It is finally sealed. He has also now won over my other self - the other, selfish self. Starting this instant, I am forever in bondage of friendship to this boy with the biggest mouth and the proudest heart. I sigh in quiet acceptance. 

Then, by all means, let the show begin. 

Gingerly, he pokes his head out and spies on the T-Rexaur, and I do the same. The vile monster is at the moment not more than a hundred feet away from where we are, making short snack of a poor caterchipillar and two bite bugs. This, of course, is not enough for such a large appetite, and I feel sure that it will come looking for us after it finishes with its appetizer. My friend turns back to me and explains in a hurried whisper. "Listen now, I have a plan. I'll run over and distract the T-Rexaur and play – er, _try to catch its attention, while I buy you time to climb that tree," pointing to a tall tree to our right. I quickly nod to let him know I understand. "Do you have any Blind or Sleep spells with you?" _

I nod yet again, beginning to see his plan. 

"Good. While I distract that blasted thing, you junction Blind to your pinwheel and try to target its eyes, or as close to its eyes as you can manage. You can try Sleep, but there're no guarantees that it'll fall under the spell, so better use Blind first. I'll make short work of it after that." He holds out his hand for me to shake. "Agreed?" Setting aside my aversion to physical contact, I take his offered hand and shake it tightly, feeling the adrenaline rush into my veins, my heart beating fast. Indeed, I remember an Instructor telling us to never dare approach a T-Rexaur without some Blind spells for backup, or else we just might die a very gruesome death. "Is everything clear to you? No questions?" 

"It is all clear," I respond, trying to inject more confidence into my voice. 

"No sudden "forgotten reasons" on why you should "make all haste" and leave me all alone in the hands of a foul-mouthed, savage beast that is only all-too capable of grinding my bones to crunchy dinner bits? 

"If you are suggesting that I am going to up and abandon you once I am out of your sight, then I will tell you here and now that _that_ monster is not the only creature, under the circumstances, that is capable of grinding your bones into fine ash," I retort indignantly, knowing full well that he is only teasing. 

Biting back a smile at my statement, he puts on a concerned look and persists bravely. "No sudden swooning and faint-hearted screams for help?" 

"You wish." _Really._

"Very well, then," he permits, with an exaggerated breath of contentment. "There's just one more important thing we need to clear up before we proceed," he adds, now with an even more serious tone.

I stare at him broodingly, expecting the worst. _Is he truly capable of dealing with this thing alone? I think uneasily. His face splits into a rueful smile and he asks, "What, pray tell, is your name?" _

So unexpected is the question that it takes me a moment to answer. I quench the impulse to roll my eyes. _This boy is going to be the death of me someday,_ I wryly reflect. "Fujin Terminus. Yours?" 

"Seifer Almasy, at your service. You have to admit, it _is_ rather weird to fight alongside someone whose name I don't even know," he comments cheerfully, the spark of mischief back in his eyes but not overshadowing the glint of danger that this little episode has brought out. 

"I guess you are right." It feels good to agree with someone, when all I have been doing for the past years of my life is insist, and fight for, my being different. Running to my appointed tree, I prepare myself to climb. I look back at Seifer and see him staring back at me. The words tumble off my mouth before I can prevent them. "Be careful." 

"I will." He winks at me conspiratorially. "Let's go kick this monster's arse so hard, he'll kiss the moon!" With that, he runs in open sight of the T-Rexaur and strikes His Arrogant Pose. _"Come and get me, ya big lug of Dino Bones!"_ Screaming, the monster lunges in angry reproach while Seifer uses good sense (for once) and steps cleanly out of harm's way. 

Torn between laughing out loud and screaming his ears off, I shut my mouth tight and proceed to climb the tree. Trust Seifer Almasy to take "being careful" to "being carefully stupid." Sighing, I finally settle on a branch that gives me a good view of what is happening below. "Junction: Blind," I chant, holding my pinwheel tightly, feeling the spell's current pass from my left hand to my weapon, which, as the last traces of the spell passed through, vibrates with silent power. Satisfied, I go and study what other troubles Seifer has added in store for us. 

My eyes go wide with surprise as I notice some subtle signs on the T-Rexaur's demeanor. From being the gregarious and furious monster from a while ago, it now shows the unmistakable signs of fatigue. Its wails and screams are louder than ever, but its head is drooping slightly, as if in impending acceptance of doom, and its tail no longer swishes quite as energetically as it used to. The vibrations have also been noticeably lighter. Seifer, on the other hand, seems to be enjoying himself very much. It is almost like he is able to absorb the T-Rexaur's flagging energy into his own. 

I am impressed, though am very reluctant to admit it to myself. Perhaps Seifer never needed my help at all, that he had asked me merely for courtesy's sake. I grin a little. He always manages to surprise me, that little knight. 

Raising my arm in line with my vision, I take in my target and point the tip of the arrow to a point between those yellow eyes. Blood pounds in my temple, every throb a testimony, the tension exhilarating me. Taking a deep breath, I relax and secure my aim. I hold my breath for all of three seconds to ensure my arm does not waver, then I let my arrow fly. 

_Whoosh._ My arrow connects with an eye; the next moment, the T-Rexaur goes wild with pain and fury. The monster cries out for so many times as rivers of scarlet pour across its twisted face. I cannot help but feel guilty myself as I see the spell work its way into the other eye. _Hyne_… I watch the monster twist and writhe in agony, destroying everything that stands on its way; I imagine the panic it must feel as it claws its arms into the black nothingness that only it can see. 

Some whistling from below jolts me. "Great shot, Fu! We work well together!" Seifer calls to me. 

Turning to his voice, I open my mouth to order him to stop the T-Rexaur's misery, to finish it off as soon as possible. Too late, my mouth widens to a silent shout as I see a long, brown tail come swiftly down on Seifer's head and, just as easily, throw his body across several feet of space. His body makes sickeningly hard contact into a tree, until for what seems like a slow play of eternity, it slumps like a too-battered rag doll. He lays unconscious, as a shocking trickle of red pours down from an unseen wound in his head, a morbid contrast to his gilded hair and pale, alabaster skin. 

My heart pounding crazily, I bite back a new surge of nausea as I imagine his condition. _Seifer! Wake up, damn you! _I gasp for air as I sit there, frozen, uncertain on what to do, fearing for Seifer's life. _Do something, Fu! Quit sitting there, do – ! _Even as I think, the T-Rexaur, sensing that it has killed, or at least wounded, its prey, shrieks a triumphant war cry and starts off in the direction of Seifer's lifeless body, shaking the ground with its tremendous feet. My mind snaps with the horrible reality I am witnessing - its impending conclusion, and instantaneously, I shout out the first spell that comes to mind. "BLIZZAGA!" 

Ice crystals shoot out from thin air, form a still monument, then explodes into shards of diamond icicles as the T-Rexaur howls. My eyes widen with shock and relief. _I did it! Hyne, I really did it!_ I think dazedly, feeling stunned that I was able to do something, _anything_ that will ensure Seifer's life for a few more moments. I feel my spirits go down an instant later, as I realize that it is now up to me to finish this fight. Seifer is down for the count and I must ensure both our safety. _Even if I die trying_. 

Setting my jaw squarely, I call to the monster, now doing the distraction. "Here, monster! Try to see if you can catch _me_!" I am down the tree in seconds and already running away from that place, away from Seifer, searching for a better tree to make my new nest. "Blizzard!" I cast behind me, knowing full well that the monster is close at my heels, judging by the stride of the vibrations that make me check my balance ever so often. The weak spell will not hurt it as badly as I would like it to, but I have to stop it _somehow. I also have to save my spells. "Blizzard!" I shout again. The monster groans. _

Panting, my legs burning with burnt exertion, I finally spot a tall tree ahead of me, high enough and perfect for the barrage of ice spells I am already contemplating. Hoisting myself up on the nearest branch, I climb the tree as fast as I can, sometimes even forgetting to breathe, so immersed I am in doing this right. I settle rather precariously on a trunk, and I pause for a moment to gather my nerves. The T-Rexaur is just nearby, sniffing experimentally into the air. I cannot distract it any longer; I just have to hope that my stock is enough to knock it down, or, at the very least, make it leave. "Blizzard." Icicles and a groan. "Blizzard." More of the same thing. 

* * * 

_Please, please wear down," _I plead desperately as I near the end of my stock. My Blizzards and Blizzaras are now extinguished, and I am now holding on to dear life with the last of my Blizzagas. Although, it is satisfying to see that the Rexaur is on its last legs, and maybe even more exhausted than I am. I only wish Seifer is still alive. 

"Blizzaga!" Beads of sweat form in my forehead, but I make no effort to wipe them off. I must not lose concentration. I have long since gotten used to the sound of ice breaking and loud groaning that I pay no heed any more, I merely pound, and pound, and pound on it some more. "Blizzaga!" A moment's pause. "Blizzaga!" _Wear down._ "Blizzaga!" _Die._

"Blizzaga!" An eternity seems to pass before I note with a slowly sinking feeling that the continuous groaning is present, but the ice breaking is not to be heard. A weight falls down on me, and I swallow to keep my throat from closing up as a sick, unacceptable notion seeps into my mind. _It can't be._ "Blizzaga," I whisper, unable to keep my voice form quivering. _Damn it, no! I only need a few more…_"Blizzaga. Blizzaga. Blizzaga! Bli" – I have to breathe. The harsh realization sinks in, but I refuse to give in and cry. Even with no ice magic, I _will_ kill this thing. I _will._

Already, the monster recognizes the sudden ceasefire of spells and is now roaring so viciously, no doubt bent on getting revenge. I open my mouth for an alternative spell, but I hesitate as I consider the real state of things. _Can I kill it?_

A sudden memory of Seifer's trusting gaze, a gaze that compels me to believe that he thinks of me as nothing less than an equal, begins to settle in my mind. That which has been slowly dwindling in my emotions now flares up with a dazzling burst of flame, like the legendary phoenix rising from the ashes that I have always secretly envisioned in my heart of hearts. Hope springs up in my chest and silently, I thank my little knight.

Narrowing my eyes at the monster, spells pour forth from my mouth and I utter them silently. "Thundara. Thundaga. Water. Bio. Sleep." The T-Rexaur recoils… a piercing scream… I am no longer aware as to what effect my spells have brought out. I reach deep down within vague recollections of my childhood, and pronounce a forbidden, solitary spell I had drawn long ago. "Ultima." 

* * * 

It is well past the time when the first star appeared that night when I hear Seifer groan in his sleep. Gratitude and relief wash over me and I feel a bit weak, only then realizing the deep fear that I have been nursing since I saw him bang against that tree.

"Unghhh…"

"Seifer?" In the near darkness of my burrow, I watch him toss and stir, his blond hair covering most of his face. Since the Garden is still too far off, I had decided to bring him here instead, praying to Hyne that he will live under my ministrations. "It is all well, Seifer. Just – just try to sleep," I tell his stirring form, brushing away the idea of using a Sleep spell on him. For all I know, he may never wake up from it again. 

His face twists spasmodically as if he is dreaming, and the next instant his eyes flutter open. "Wh – Where am I?" he asks hoarsely. Against the darkness, his eyes are two glowing orbs of green, like beacons for the lost. 

"Seifer," I call out to him, unable to keep a tiny quiver from my voice. "It is I, Fujin. I was beginning to think you were never going to wake up. Are you feeling okay? Does your wound hurt badly?" I ask with concern.

He moans loudly. "I'll tell you when it stops hurting," he mutters. I smirk. He is all right, then. "Fujin… where are we?" 

"We are here at my burrow." Crouching, I reach his side and help him sit up. "Would you like to go out for some fresh air? I will help you." 

"Yes, do. Be careful, though, it still hurts like hell." I pause, and he sighs. "_Please_?" he croaks out. Without another word, I guide him to the opening and help him sit in front of the little fire I made. 

"Wow, this is a sight, eh?" He motions at the clearing we are in. "Bet you come here often." 

Frowning, I sit across from him. "Why did you become careless? That T-Rexaur could have killed you! While you were there lying unconscious, I had to" – 

"I was trying to save our lives," he cuts in scathingly. "In case you've forgotten." 

His words make me stop and I look down in shame. "You are right. I am sorry. I was just… I did not mean… " I break off helplessly, unsure on how to express my feelings properly without seeming to look like an emotional idiot. 

"Worried," he supplies. "I know. I'm touched. And if you'll only look up, Fu, you'll see that I'm smiling and everything's okay." 

Stealing a glance at his direction, I see that he is indeed sporting that familiar arrogant grin, and the sight of it makes me grin back at him. "Well. About that T-Rexaur, I used a… lot of spells on it, and luckily enough, it grew tired and collapsed on the ground. I am not sure if I killed it, though. I did not bother to find out." I add more wood into the fire. "I only had Cures with me, and I used them all on you. I tried drawing some from you but I found that you did not have any. No healing spells, no support, no potions _even_. Not a single one that could have saved your life." Forgetting not to be annoyed, I glower at him and find to my utter dismay (and amusement) that he is waiting for me to continue and is looking merely blissfully innocent. "_Why would you not bring any healing spells?!"_

"I like to live dangerously. To do the impossible. Reach for the stars! It just doesn't seem so, oh, I don't know, _satisfying _enough if the danger isn't real." He shrugs, oblivious to my irritation. 

Swallowing down a frustrated scream, I settle for throwing more wood into the fire and accidentally on purpose, hit him with some stones. "You are impossible." 

"So I've been told. Makes life much more exciting, if you ask me." A wayward (albeit painfully targeted) pebble hits him near the eye, and he winces. "Hey, stop that, will you? You're only drowning the fire with all that rubbish." His hand reaches up to rub the sore spot. "Not to mention, you're also ruining this dashing face," he mutters dismally. 

Seeing that he is right, I force my hands into my lap, my face burning with the thought that I had been acting so childishly. (Although, I had to let go of his allusion to a dashing face first.) Hopefully, he will mistake the blush as… firelight dancing in my face. If anything, I flush even more at that stupid assumption. Even Seifer is not _that_ ignorant. 

"You know, you look different with all that firelight dancing in your face. Kind of gives you a soft touch." 

My eyes fly up to him and take in his mellow countenance. I burst out laughing. 

Startled, he throws me a surly look. "What's so funny?" He looks up at the sky. "Is this what happens when I give someone a compliment?" 

This makes me laugh even harder. Shoulders shaking, eyes starting to fill up with tears, hands holding my stomach, I savor this unusual moment as best I can. It has been so long since I laughed this hard… _Wait, a compliment?_

Forcing my face straight, I ask him about his troubling statement. "Did you just acknowledge that you gave me a compliment?" 

His eyes go wide with wonder. "Bloody Hyne, so I did." Shaking his head, he grins sheepishly. "I just did, didn't I?" 

I smirk and throw another pebble at him. "Yes, you did. Why?" 

"Why, what?" He looks inconsolably forlorn as he rubs the spot where the stone hit him. _I did not throw that hard, did I?_ I think with some unease. "I gave you a compliment because it was the truth, that's why. Will you please stop it with the stones now? I promise not to compliment you ever again, and settle for mundane insults instead," he vows earnestly. 

I relax visibly. So, the cad clearly has a flair for drama. "It was foolish of me," I admit. "There is just something about you that – " I stop as I go over what he said. "I would not care for mundane insults, either," I reply pointedly. 

He appears crestfallen at my putdown, and sighs. "Fine. No insults, then." Perking up almost instantly, he resumes talking with a wicked glint in his eye. "Now, what were you saying? There's just something about me that – " He wriggles his brows. "I hate to tell you this, Fu, but I've heard _that_ sweet remark from girls countless times and they always end up with "that makes me swoon" or "that makes my heart palpitate so feverishly" that I no longer think of them as sincere." His voice drops, as if he is bestowing a much-coveted favor. "I'll make an exception on your case, however, seeing that you just saved our lives. But please, please, for the love of all that's good and holy, tell me something original?" 

I can only stare at him for a time, wondering how he got around to saying all that without even having the grace to blush. Hmm. Also, a flair for the wonderfully absurd, I see. Finding my voice, I dryly remark, "I was about to say that there is something about you that makes me want to throw stones at you. Some devastating appeal, I am inclined to believe." 

His brows shooting up, I laughingly take in his priceless expression. "Now that was original," he grumbles.

"I hoped it was," I rejoined with quiet mirth, enjoying our little banter. 

"That reminds me. Why _did_ you suddenly burst out laughing?" 

"Hmm, let me think on that." My hand comes up to scratch my chin, and try to appear to be momentarily lost in thought. "By your own words, I _am _a loony…" 

He snorts, gingerly trying to lie on the ground. He holds up a hand as I stand in an attempt to help him. "I can handle it, sit down." 

Hesitantly, I sit back and watch him with worried eyes. He really _is_ proud, damn him. _Too proud!_ "Are you sure?" I persist, not liking the stiffness of his movements. 

"Positive," he grunts out. 

Bemusedly, I scrutinize his valiant efforts. _Positive, he says._ "Seifer, only fools are positive." 

Letting out a breath of aggravation, he pauses in the middle of stretching his legs out, and casts me a skeptical glance. "Are _you_ sure?" 

"Positive," I shoot back smugly. _Er…_

"Welcome to the club." 

_Damn. _

After settling into what he deems to be a comfortable position, he raises his arms to his head to use as pillows, and goes on to study the great canopy of stars above. I trail his gaze, to see a shimmering line of light descend from the sky. A shooting star. _How peaceful this night is,_ I think idly. _I wonder why stars fall? There must be something in this world that they find alluring, or else why would they want to leave heaven? _

"If you won't tell me the reason for your laughter, I demand that you answer something else." 

At the sound of his voice, a stab of suspicion instinctively pricks my mind, and the old wariness comes back. _Stop it. He is your friend. There is no longer any reason to ward him off._ _Let him speak. You will see. _It astounds me to realize how easy it was for him to break down all my walls, how short a time it took him to breach over eleven years' worth of defenses. Maybe I am not as strong as I thought I was. "What is it you wish to know?" 

He looks over at me and I can somehow feel his eyes searching for something, reminding me of an expression I had seen on myself, as it was reflected on a cracked mirror years before. He must have sensed my discomfiture, for he asks in a blunt voice. "Why have you been crying?" 

My jaw drops open at his silent query; I am astonished, to say the least! _But-but how could he have known?_ I gape at him in confusion, wondering how he knows. Am I that transparent? Can he actually possess some otherworldly powers? Impossible! _Then how…? _

Taking in my staggered expression, he explains patiently. "Your eyes are all red and puffy, although you should have seen them hours ago, back when I first met you. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm sure you're not the type who goes on crying over a broken nail, so it interests me to know what could have caused you to cry so hard." The side of his lips goes up. "Or am I wrong in my assumption?" 

Aah. "No, you are right." Feeling incredibly stupid at my very erroneous train of thoughts, I gaze at him thoughtfully. "But first, why would you want to know?" 

"Simple. You remind me of someone. You and he are quite alike." 

"He?" I echo uncertainly. The way he talks of this someone is more than a little sneering, but I am sure I heard something else, an underlying tone that could have been respect. 

"Yeah. Squall Leonhart. Also from Balamb Garden. You know him?" 

Squall Leonhart? The name seems a bit familiar, only right now I am too immersed with the reason for Seifer's question that I cannot be bothered to putting a face to the name. "I am not sure," I answer truthfully. 

"Good for you, then. That guy's a major pain, you see." He laughs out loud, and continues with a merciless air. "Brown hair, clear eyes, monosyllabic, pensive, dour, an idiot, incorrigible, insufferable, has the most disturbing scowl you'll ever come across – " he breaks off and adds hastily, " – second only to yours, of course, and he's –" 

"Whatever," I cut in, annoyed that he compares me to someone _that_ bad. 

For some inane reason, he beams. "Exactly." 

"I am not even going to ask what you mean by that." I start to reach for a stone but think better of it. I truly _must_ stop this stone-throwing obsession. "If I remind you so much of him, why would you try to save my life?" 

He sighs in apparent irritation. "You're not _him_, Fujin. I don't go around hating people simply because they remind me of a rival. Besides, I like you." He seems unabashed by this admission. "Now, why were you crying?" 

Bristling, I begin to answer succinctly. "It is really none of your business –" 

"I just made it my business," he interrupts, waving one hand impatiently. "So spill. Do tell. Enlighten me." 

I stare at him in silence, then I shrug. Whether I tell him my life will not make any difference, now, will it? It is not as if he can do anything about it. Moreover, I am in sore need of some comic relief and a willing ear. So I plunge onwards. "I was crying because…" I sigh, then go on, "because I needed respite. I needed to get away from everyone in the Garden, and I would rather not let them see me cry." 

"I see," he murmurs absently. "It figures." 

The dam of words that has recently been opened now rushes out, unstoppable. "The Garden – it is horrible. The Instructors and the students, they treat us like monsters – " 

"Us?" 

"Me and my brother. My adopted brother, Raijin," I hasten to clarify. "He has brown skin, like cocoa. He looks different from everyone else… even _I_ do not know where he comes from. All I know is that several years ago, I found him beside a garbage bin in Timber where I saved him from rodents." Closing my eyes, I see once again the sight that met me that fateful day. A brown face, a piercing squeal, a baby – it was so tiny, so helpless, it wrenched my heart just looking at it. I knew then and there that I simply could not abandon it, regardless of the fact that I could barely scrape up enough food for myself. For the first time in my life, I felt needed. I shudder as I remember the flash of dark fur, the filth, and the general squeaking that emerged from the creatures. The stench – the stench that we could not quite repel… I open my eyes and continue. "Timber – that is where I come from, before an old man – some friend of the Headmaster's, I believe, brought us to the Garden. Raijin also speaks different, but I do not see why it should matter." The eyes I turn to him are bewildered, and damn it all, vulnerable. "The other kids do not like me because I manage to beat them at everything. I try to purposefully lose sometimes, but it does not help. They only want to win some more. They call me all sorts of names, I cannot recall even half of them – but they are worse with my brother – it is like - " 

Seifer surprises me by his low chuckling. It is a shallow chuckling, lacking any real mirth or meaning. His next words are spoken tonelessly, as if he is somewhere else. "Those bastards. You're better than them. I understand. No wonder you're so aloof, so closed to everyone."

I frown at him, disbelieving. "How could you understand? You do not get treated like you are worse than dirt. If you are from Garden, which I am assuming, you are most probably being held in high respect by everyone who meets you." 

"Oh, but I do understand. High respect? Hah! I, Seifer Almasy, am their black sheep," he states with some bitterness. "They don't see things the way I do; they're too dense for that. They want the boring _everyday_ things, they'd all most likely prefer students like Quistis Trepe, someone who hasn't broken a single rule in all her life." He sneers, his face full of revulsion. "Or maybe, ugh, Chicken-wuss, which, I'm telling you, is rather a desperate choice. Too much excitement and energy compressed into a painfully thin boy who doesn't know the difference between breakfast and lunch. Come to think of it, he'll order hotdogs anytime, anyway. Pathetic, that's what it is. They can't get worse than _that_." He smirks and shuts his eyes, as if conjuring up a vision. For the meantime, his face becomes peaceful and so serene, it is hard to compare him to the boy who spoke with such derision only moments ago. "I was about to tell you my dream, wasn't I?" Without waiting for me to reply, he stretches his right arm up into the sky, where it looks as if he is holding some sort of imaginary lance. "I," he solemnly intones, "want to be a sorceress' knight." 

I jump at the mention of his dream. _Is it merely coincidence_? I muse. "Why are you telling me this?" 

His eyes flutter open, and he drops his arm with some regret and with another emotion I cannot quite recognize. Something about this telling action makes me want to reach out to him, and an overwhelming sadness takes over me. "For the same reason you're opening up to me. Here," he says, and, rummaging into his pockets, tosses me something black. 

Reflexively, I catch it and turn to look at it. It is frayed and much worn out. An eye patch? I raise a brow at him quizzically. "What am I supposed to do with an eye patch?" 

"Use it to keep the tears away," he confides amiably. 

"What are you talking about?" 

"It's a symbol, okay? I didn't mean that that eye-patch is actually capable of stopping the flow of tears." He smiles whimsically. "I gave it to you to remind you that you simply look horrible whenever you cry," he tells me severely. "The moral is, of course, to try not to cry. Not only does it ruin your complexion, it's also very unhealthy." Making a tsk-ing sound, he cracks his knuckles loudly. "It gives one a very weak constitution, and runny noses are not at all the rage these days." He only grins at my comical expression. "Don't look so disbelieving! _I _should know. Let's see, you'll develop a habit of wheezing which is utterly deplorable to think about, and the next thing you know, you're dying of a heart attack!" he finishes rather gleefully. 

"You are crazy, Seifer Almasy." 

"Genius is not without a mixture of madness," he affirms sagely. 

I roll my eyes. It is preposterous. Childish! 

I wear the eye-patch, anyway. It is a little too big for me and hangs slightly askew, so I make some adjustments. I smile secretly to myself. I feel foolish, but I do not care. It is almost like he is giving me a game to play, something to reinvent my childhood with. To make new memories. Somewhere inside of me, I feel an unexpected emotion, a stirring of tenderness that is entirely new, a feeling that only comes, I strongly suspect, when one finds a kindred spirit. I lower my eyes a little so he may not see what I feel, although it is too dark for him to be able to do so and the eye-patch already covers one eye. Still. 

Seifer gives off a yawn that he tries to smother with his hand. "Are you getting sleepy? Would you like to go back inside?" I ask him. "I will stand guard here for a while. I do not mind."

"Forget it, I'm sleeping here," he announces. "You should get some rest yourself, Fu, we have lots of things to talk about in the morning. Like what to call our posse." He slants me a quick glance. "Hey, looking good! Told you my idea would work," he tells me smugly. "By the way, this is just a suggestion, of course, but what do you think about speaking in monosyllables from now on? You know, so you'll sound real tough and those kids'll think better on teasing you again. That'd all be just a front, naturally, but if you're up to it, you might as well speak in _loud_ monosyllables. Like," he clears his throat, "GOOD. NIGHT. What do you think? Creepy, huh? Oh, another thing…" 

I tune him out, as he continues to babble on in great, animated gestures. A posse? Did I miss something? Surely he cannot be serious…? _Give it up, Fu. You like the idea. Take the chance._

I am not sure if I should. _But maybe I will._ Who knows? Seifer Almasy may very well be what Raijin and I need. Smiling to myself, I begin to practice. "SILENCE. SEIFER."

The night rings loud with the sound of our laughter, as another fallen star graces the sky, finding something alluring below the realm of heaven.

An unlikely friendship, perhaps? Only time will tell. 

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* 

_fin _

**References:**

_**"Let's go kick this monster's arse so hard, he'll kiss the moon!"** – a slightly changed favorite expression of Kid's (Chrono Cross). Aw, I liked Kid's better, but well, I had to make do._

_**"Are you sure?" - "Positive." - "Only fools are positive." - "Are you sure?" - "Positive."** – the first Ferngully_

_**"Genius is not without a mixture of madness."** – originally 'There is no great genius without a mixture of madness', er – I don't know who said it, please enlighten me._

_So. Yowza! Till the next fic. ^_^_


End file.
